A New Cycle
by Tressimir
Summary: The world has started over again, and this time everyone's involved in a single cycle. A series of related BlazBlue oneshots if you can call them that . These focus on telling a wide, over-arcing story that takes place in an alternate cycle of BlazBlue.
1. Ragna's FreedomIntro

Ragna's Freedom

The NOL had been revamped, and to celebrate, all bounties were cleared. Ragna the Bloodedge strolled down the streets of Orient Town, for once not having to avoid being captured. He kept walking around the Chinese section of Kagutsuchi, stretching and grinning widely. Looking into a shop window and surveying the trinkets that were on sale there, Ragna kept repeating the same thought in his head. _What the hell am I gonna get Noel for her birthday? And for Christmas for that matter… Can't just give her one present when there's two special occasions going on, even if they are on the same day._ He walked into the shop to get a better look at the inventory, finally deciding on a turquoise necklace and a silver bracelet. _Dammit… don't have enough cash…_ As Ragna turned to leave, he saw a familiar silver braid in the window. "No, not again…" The former wanted criminal ducked behind a rack of jewelry as a young girl entered the shop. "I know you're there, Ragna! You can't hide from me!" Sighing, Ragna walked into plain sight to see the girl who used to be his worst enemy. She looked young and sweet, with a red patch over her left eye but otherwise appearing to be your average, if pale, little girl. She smiled at him and ran over to grab his hands. "Oh, Ragna! I've been looking all over for you!" "Nu, let go of me!" Nu, the cyborg girl, used to be obsessed with fusing with Ragna to become even stronger a weapon than she already was, but now wanted him romantically. He still didn't like her though. "Seriously, get the hell off me! There oughta be a law against this!" Nu jumped up to wrap her arms around Ragna's neck and hang on him. "Ragna! Is that any way to talk to your future lover?!" "We are NOT doing that! Ever! How many times do I have to tell you?!" Nu smiled and pressed her face against his chest. "That's what you think now, but we're going to be together forever and ever!" "Hey, can somebody get this little girl off me?!" Nu giggled as she hung on Ragna's neck, rubbing her face against his coat. Just as Ragna grabbed her arms to pry her off, a familiar voice filled the air.

"Ah, young love! I wish Miss Litchi and I could be on those kinds of terms!" Bang Shishigami was looking at Ragna and Nu with a grin. Ragna's face turned bright red; it looked like he was beginning to embrace the girl. "Old man, do me a favor and get this little stalker off me!" Bang tapped Nu on the shoulder and spoke with the grin still plastered on his face. "Little girl, you should respect your boyfriend's space. Not everyone likes constant attention!" Nu turned to look at Bang with her uncovered eye and narrowed it, annoyed. "You're always stalking that doctor, old man. Besides, I belong to Ragna!" Ragna then pried Nu's hands off him and set her on the floor. "Dammit, I almost liked it better when I was trying to destroy you! At least then you weren't constantly hitting on me!" Bang took Nu's hand and began leading her toward the door with a spoken, "Let's get you home. Ragna needs his space." Nu glared at Bang and yelled, "HELP! HELP! I'M BEING KIDNAPPED!" The shopkeeper turned from a display box to see Bang pulling on Nu's hand and yelled in response, "Old man, let go of that girl now, or I'll have you arrested!" The ninja released Nu, startled, and the cyborg girl ran back toward Ragna. "Dammit dammit dammit!" Ragna reacted a split-second before she jumped on him again, placing his hand on her forehead. Her arms were shorter than his, so she couldn't reach him while he held her back. Nu smiled at that moment and grabbed Ragna's arm, beginning to nuzzle his hand. "Oh, Ragna, you actually touched me! And not even with a sword this time! I knew you liked me!" Ragna pulled his arm away from the girl and said, "I-I gotta go. See ya!" Before taking off into the streets. "RAGNA!!!" Nu dashed out the door after him, chasing Ragna through Orient Town while the shopkeeper glared at Bang. "You see, I was trying to help Ragna keep his space. I wasn't intending to abduct the girl…" The ninja dashed out the door, not wishing to confront the angry shopkeeper.

A half-hour later, Ragna was hiding in a trashcan in a dark alley, desperately hoping Nu wouldn't find him. Her voice sounded from the mouth of the alley, calling, "Ragna, Ragna! Where are you, Ragna?" He closed his mouth tightly, trying not to breathe. Her footsteps drew closer, her fingers drummed on the trashcan lids… and she stopped at his can. Almost panicking at this point, Ragna remained perfectly still as he heard Nu tapping her fingers on the can's lid before climbing on top of it. The little cyborg sat on the trashcan, wondering aloud, "Where could Ragna be? I just wanna talk to him." Ragna heard her voice from her place on top of the can and whispered, "Shit." The air in the trashcan was beginning to turn stale; Nu's weight kept it airtight. Ragna felt himself getting dizzy from lack of oxygen, then finally decided to make a move. Pushing up against the lid with all his might, he felt it and Nu fly up into the air. "AHHH!" The little girl screamed as she was sent flying and Ragna tried to get out of the trashcan. However, he moved a little too quickly and ended up getting his pants caught on the edge of the trashcan's opening, tipping over the can and himself. To add insult to injury, Nu landed right on his back. "Oh God, why me…?" Nu leaned down and whispered in Ragna's ear, "I told you, it's destiny. You're so warm, Ragna… Even if you don't make a soft landing place with all that muscle." She then began playing with Ragna's hair like an ordinary little girl would, running her hands through it with a giggle. The swordsman groaned and let his face fall against the pavement as his admirer played with his hair…


	2. Noel: After Work

Noel: After Work

Noel Vermillion, Ragna's housemate, stopped by her and Ragna's house after her shift was done. She still worked for the NOL, having outlived her superior Major Jin Kisaragi in that regard. Lying on her bed, she gazed up at the ceiling and began talking to herself. "Maybe I should do some shopping… Or write something…" She started spacing out, wondering what to do now that she was off. Noel was zoned out for about an hour when she noticed the clock - it read 3:00PM. "Huh, Ragna should've come home by now. I wonder what he's doing." Getting out her cell phone, Noel dialed Ragna's number, listening to his phone ring two and a half times before picking up. "Nu, let me out of here! For God's sake, maybe I do need to destroy you!" A young girl's muffled laughter reached Noel's ear. "Oh, Ragna, why would I do that? We're going to be together… forever and ever…" "Dammit, Nu, get off me! No, don't sit there-" "Ragna, why do you have to talk so much? I've been gentle so far, but it appears you want it a little more rough. Okay, let's play!" Noel's expression turned to one of horror as she heard her housemate talking to a young girl they both knew - the cyborg Nu. Grabbing her twin guns, replacements for the Nox Nyctores Bolverk, the NOL lieutenant set off toward the little girl's house. When she got there, she rapped on the door officially and called, "This is Lieutenant Noel Vermillion of the NOL! Nu, open up!" She waited there for a few minutes with no response, then drew one gun and prepared to shoot the door off its hinges. At that moment Nu opened the door and glared up at her. "Noel, what do you want? I'm in the middle of something." Noel returned Nu's gaze and said, "I know Ragna's here. Where is he?" Nu put on an innocent face and shook her head, saying in a matching tone, "He's not here. I've been looking for him all day and just got home. Want me to help you find him?" The NOL officer walked forward into the house. "Then you won't mind if I check the premises. As an NOL officer, it's my duty to find any missing persons - even if I'm not on duty." "You don't have a warrant!" Nu cried, grabbing Noel's NOL uniform coat. "You can't just come into my house!" Noel pried Nu's hand off her coat and kept walking. "I have evidence that Ragna's here. I called his cell phone and heard both your voices." The young woman continued through the house, checking the kitchen, dining room, living room, and even the bathroom. When she reached the door to Nu's room, though, the little cyborg said in a serious tone, "If you go in there, I'll have to terminate you. You can't just walk into someone's room!" Noel turned and looked into Nu's eye sternly. "If you have nothing to hide, then you'll let me in there." Nu grabbed Noel's leg and whimpered, "I'll give you money if you don't go in there! Really! I'll give you a month's rent!" Noel shook the little girl off and sternly intoned, "Bribery will get you nowhere."

When Noel entered Nu's room, she gasped. The lights were off, the room lit by only candles. Ragna was sitting on Nu's bed, his arms and legs tied with steel cables and a cloth tied around his lower face to muffle his voice. He looked over at Noel and let out a muffled cry. "NU!" The NOL officer shouted as she ran over and began untying Ragna. "I'm so sorry, Ragna, I should've come to look for you sooner! Please forgive me!" She pulled the cloth off his face, letting him cough into the air. "Goddammit, Noel, where have you been? I've been stuck here for hours!" The girl was almost in tears as she finished unbinding Ragna's legs. When she climbed up behind him to untie his arms, she noticed something written on the back of his neck in permanent marker. It was the words Ragna and Nu forever and ever. Noel's face went a bright red as she saw the drawing. "Ragna… you're going to have to wash your neck REALLY well…" The famous swordsman growled, "I know already! That little bitch has fate coming toward her like a missile!" Noel finished untying Ragna, who got off the bed along with her. His white hair was a mess as he stormed out of the room. Nu was standing there, tears falling from her one visible eye. "Ragna, don't go! You know you liked it, Ragna!" The Bloodege placed a hand on Nu's head and snarled, "Never get close to me again! I'm seriously reconsidering the whole not destroying you thing!" The little cyborg fell back against the wall, sobbing. "Please don't hurt me, Ragna! I don't want you to hurt me again!" Noel's face showed a trace of indecision. "Umm, Ragna… I know it's not what you want to hear, but maybe she's learned her lesson this time. Think we could let her go?" Ragna glared at Nu before turning to Noel. "Yeah, I guess. This time." The two housemates left Nu's home in a hurry, leaving the young girl crying in the hall.

Ragna breathed in huge gulps of fresh air as he walked with Noel to their house. "Dammit, last time I ever stop myself from hurting that little bitch again. Who knows what would've happened if you didn't show up?" Noel took Ragna's arm, patting his hand comfortingly. "It's okay, Ragna. You're safe now. No more Nu to worry about." Reflexively he pulled his arm away from Noel, only afterwards realizing what he'd done. "S-Sorry…" "It's okay. Let's get home; I'll make meatloaf." Ragna flinched at the words. "You've had a long day. How about I make it, and you can relax with a warm bath or something." "Aww, how sweet of you! I think I'll take you up on that offer!" The two reached their home, walking inside. It was turning into a normal day again.


	3. The Worst Dream Ever

The Worst Dream Ever

Ragna laid in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. _Damn Nu… I don't know what I would've done if Noel hadn't shown up._ He sighed. Stewing over the day's events wouldn't change them. Ragna grunted in annoyance as the back of his neck rubbed against the pillow. He had scrubbed his skin raw in order to get Nu's message off his neck, and the marker hadn't completely faded even with all that effort. Thirty minutes later, he felt almost at peace. Yawning and closing his eyes, it wasn't long till Ragna fell asleep…

When he awoke, he was lying on a soft bed not at all like the one he had at home. "Huh? Where the hell am I?" Looking around, he saw red curtains around the four-post bed, red satin sheets covering him, and a small figure next to him. His eyes widened in horror as he saw Nu lying beside him, her head on his chest. "What the hell?!" He bolted upright, startling the girl from sleep. She yawned, then looked up at Ragna. "Ragna, it's late. Or do you want to go at it again?" A flirtatious smile crossed Nu's lips as Ragna noticed his and Nu's clothes… or rather, lack of them. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" The Bloodedge shouted before Nu clapped a hand over his mouth. She pushed him back down onto the bed and settled her mouth in close to his ear. "Oh, Ragna… Isn't it wonderful? You're so warm, and strong…" The swordsman's face grew purple with rage as the girl spoke to him. "Come on, Ragna. We'll going to be together until one of us dies, so we might as well use the time while we have it." Nu gently slid a leg up around Ragna's waist, kissing his ear softly. "Get off me, you bitch!" Ragna shouted before having Nu's hand pressed over his mouth again. "Don't speak. Just let me feel you again…" The cyborg girl rubbed her body against Ragna's as she kissed him, and though he was loathe to admit it, he liked the feeling. _Wish Noel and I were like this._ He thought with a sigh. He tried his best to ignore the feeling of Nu's touch, desperately trying to fall asleep again so he wouldn't feel it. But as hard as he tried, he failed. The cyborg girl was running her fingers down the side of his neck, kissing his ear provocatively, and he couldn't ignore it. At last, he grabbed Nu's wrist and squeezed hard. She let out a squeal of pain and tried to pull her hand away, but Ragna didn't let go. "Ragna, s-stop! You're hurting me!" "And you think I care? I've had enough of you!" At that moment, Nu bit down on his earlobe, causing Ragna to yell with unexpected pain. He involuntarily let go of her wrist, and she climbed on top of him. "Ragna… Ragna…! You'll like this, I know it!" Just as Nu lowered her small body onto his and he felt them touch, the world twisted…

"AHH!" Ragna sat straight up in bed as he awoke from the nightmare. "Oh God… I think I'm gonna hurl…" He gasped. "Why in the hell did I have a dream like THAT, of all things?!" He heard a knock on his door followed by Noel's voice. "Ragna, are you okay!?" He took a deep breath before responding with, "Yeah, Noel. I'm fine. What makes you think I wasn't?" "Well, I heard you screaming… And I thought I heard you mention Nu's name." His face turned bright red. _How long has she been standing there?!?_ After another deep breath, he called, "What did you hear?" Noel opened the door and walked inside. Ragna noticed that she was only wearing her tan bathrobe and hoped his face wouldn't show that he enjoyed the sight. She sat on the edge of his bed and placed a hand on his. "I heard a lot of moaning and grunting, then you growling Nu's name, then you screamed. Are you sure you're okay?" Ragna squeezed Noel's hand gently and nodded. "Yeah. Just a dream. What were you doing up at this hour?" The NOL officer blushed and turned away somewhat. Ragna could still see the red tint of her cheeks though. "I got lonely… so I thought I'd see if you were up." "When am I ever up at this hour? But ah well. What is it you wanted?" Noel started stammering as she spoke hurriedly. "W-W-Well, I j-just wanted to, y'know… hang out?" Ragna snorted in disbelief. It was obvious she was faking. "Okay, fine! I just wanted this!" Noel threw herself on top of Ragna and kissed him, her mouth pressed tight against his. _Wow… this is AWESOME!_ Ragna thought as she locked lips with him. The night wore on, and Ragna grew sleepy again. Just as he was having difficulty not closing his eyes, he noticed that Noel's breathing pattern had changed. She was asleep. Ragna laid her in his bed and laid on the floor, not wanting to embarrass her too much upon awakening.


End file.
